Sacred Valley Of The Incas

The sacred valley was the Inca civilization’s breadbasket where they farmed most of their food, and contains numerous Inca remains. The valley has been formed by the Urubamba river, also known as Vilcanota River, and it goes through Pisac, Ollantaytambo up to the historical, and natural sanctuary of Machupicchu.

Itinerary

Sacred Valley Day Tour

We pick you up from your hostel or United Mice office. A 45 minute drive will take us to Qorao (lookout point) where we will be able to see the magnitude of part of the sacred valley of the Incas.Then we arrive at Pisac where appreciate the traditional market visted by thousands of tourists, and has still maintained its traditional character with locals and foreigners shopping together. Following we head up to the Inca remains situated above the town, some of the finest Inca architecture in Cusco region. Pisac was a powerful frontier fortification guarding against incursion from the jungle and the anti Incas. There are important religious remains including the temple of the sun with some of the most impressive stone work of the whole Inca Empire

Afterwards, we go to Urubamba town for lunch, and continue on to Ollantaytambo Inca remains. Ollantaytambo is a quaint town discovered by the Spanish, but largely untouched. Therefore, it is a fine example of how an Inca town was laid out. It has narrow wall streets with original inca masonry and is set up in blocks centred on la Plaza. Above the town there are impressive remains. Ollantaytambo is named after a rebel chieftain, Ollanta who was crushed by the Incas. The town is at the northern end of the sacred valley and so has a strategic significance. Indeed the incas under Manco Inca rebelled against the Spanish from here. The fortress was so well defended that the Spanish were forced to retreat back to Cusco.Finally, we visit Chinchero. This town in prehispanic times , was major centre of population but after the conquest. It dwindled into the village than it is today, it has also a Sunday market, second in importance behind the one in Pisac, the views from here are magnificence, and on a clear day, the snowcapped mountains of the vilcabamba range can be seen. There are inca remains here as well, including a large inca wall on the present day plaza. This contains ten niches, some of the largest found of the inca culture. The Spanish built a church on top these remains. Unfortunately the church’s art work has degenerated, but still worth seeing. Around Chinchero there are carved rocks and what is thought to be a tomb for a mummy. Late afternoon back to Cusco.